Infection
by Kay104
Summary: This a MUCH better rewrite of my unfinished story "The Nurse, The King, and The Prophesy". Still the same basic plot, but it's a bit different. It's also organized a bit better as well. To everyone who liked that story, you should like this one. However, I will not be taking down the other one just in case. JS
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- Hey guys, this is the official First chapter of what was previously known as "The Nurse, The King, and The Prophecy". It has been renamed to "Infection" just because it's a lot shorter and so it's not confused with it's previous. Furthermore, this story **_**IS **_**different than what's it's essentially biased off of. It's going to have most of the same plot line and such, but it should be a little better written. I plan to do the same to Duty Bound after a while, but I'll just be editing and replacing chapters, not taking it down. It just needs some good proof reading mostly. **

**However, I'm kinda stalling, so without further delay here is the first chapter of "Infection" *Sparkles***

**Lol, I lied. Here is a Disclaimer- I do not own anything that may be recognized outside of this story, thus including Labyrinth characters, franchises, and generally name brand anything. Thank You. Also, I am not a med student. I'll do my best, but I am **_**not **_**a doctor. If I totally go off a wall on something, please just let me know, and I'll go back and fix it. **

Infection- Chapter One

Sarah rubbed her eyes lightly again for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Every time she tried to look at the beeping monitor for more than a few moments, she believed her eyes would burn out. The woman was in desperate need of rest. No one should be skimping by with the few scant hours she was, especially at twenty-two.

However, being an RN and slowly working your way up to physician was a long and difficult road; it was not for everyone. Yet, nothing deterred this young woman from wanting to pursue her dreams. Throughout her college years working to be a nurse, Sarah had been treated like a pariah. Something was strange and unworldly about her and that made people a bit uneasy. This was a sort of blessing in disguise-one could say. With no one to dissuade her away from her work, she was able to pass quite quickly and with great marks.

There had been a few setbacks to this as well though. She had few friends, other than her labyrinth friends of course. They visited every other weekend, but human friends- well that was a different story. For the most part, the only human she was very close to was her friend Katie. In fact, Sarah was just thinking of the young red-head when the monitor beeped again.

Breaking the woman from her reverie, she looked up and collected the vital signs again. A barely audible sigh escaped her lips, yet her instructor, Mr. Bilkinson, heard her. "Ms. Williams, do you find recording this poor coma patients vitals so boring? Do you think it beneath you?" The man went on and on, causing Sarah to feel just a slight bit guilty. However, at the same time, she did feel it was beneath her. She was studying to be a doctor, recording vitals from a coma patient that's been under for fifteen years without change, is something that a lower nurse should be handling… not her. Nevertheless, the woman never said a word other than, "I'm sorry, Sir, it won't happen again."

Of course, the man didn't accept the apology. "Hmph, well Williams if you're going to be a disturbance, you can grab one of the lower nurses to take care of this… you're on clinic duty now." Sarah turned thinking she's finally caught a break from her slave driving instructor. Needless to say, she was proven wrong in seconds. "Oh, and do the cases with your name written on them_ only_. I picked them out for you." Sniffing the middle-aged man turned to look back at the patient.

Sarah was about ready to pull out her hair. Because of this urge, she ended up merely clenching her nails into her palm- leaving deep imprints. Shaking her head, the woman told a nurse to go help Mr. Bilkinson; then she continued on her way.

A few moments later found her in the small examining room with a seven-year-old sitting on the paper-covered bed. He had the most red-orange colored hair Sarah had ever seen, but he was cute with his large splash of freckles coving his nose and cheeks. Looking down at her paper she quickly read silently, "Jason Alkio, age seven. Arrived with sniffle and complaining of sore throat."

Smiling Sarah walked over towards him as she spoke, "Hey Jason, my name is Sarah Williams. What seems to be the issue?" She paused, "In fact, where's your mother?"

The red-head rolled his eyes, "She went to the cafeteria, she missed breakfast."

Shrugging her shoulders, she just continued. It wasn't irregular for a parent to drop off a kid and come back for them… even if Sarah didn't particularly agree with it. Pushing that matter from her mind, Sarah spoke easily, "Well let's get you all checked out…"

They spent the next ten minutes playing the "Say Ah" and "Let's see your temp." roles. In a few minutes following, Sarah had written a prescription for some flu medication and an anti-inflammatory to help with his slightly swollen throat.

Then they sat there for a few minutes before Sarah broke the ice, "So, Jason, where do you think your mom is?"

"Oh I dunno," said the boy, "She's probably just taking some business call. She had to work today, but I got sick." The boy's voice was raspy and obviously infected.

Sarah nodded her head, then after some more silence she asked, "So… do you like stories?" She really felt bad for the kid. His mom obviously did this kind of thing all the time. Honestly, Sarah thought she probably forgot about him.

They boy perked up at this. "I sure do," he said excitedly, but cringed as his voice broke.

Sarah grinned. "Well then you _have _to like magic."

Wonder opened in the boy's eyes. "Yes…" he whispered in awe.

"Hm, good." She smiled at him and handed him a lollie pop. Then she settled herself back into her chair before starting the story, "We'll once there was kingdom far- far away from here, where it never rained. The king of this kingdom, was of course very saddened by this, and, therefore, very strict."

They boy made a face. Sarah laughed, "Oh don't look so glum. Wouldn't you be kind of strict if it never rained around here?" The boy huffed a yes in return.

"Now, before I was interrupted- It never rained. The king was a wonderful ruler, but a bit hard to understand at time. He would often tell his subjects 'no' when they asked for something, and tell them what to do. But he did it for a reason." she paused and then looked at the boy thoughtfully, "Kind of like when someone asks you to clean your room, but you really don't want too. You should clean it and you have to, but someone has to tell you to do it."

"I understand." came Jason's reply. He was very thoughtful for a boy of seven…

"Good." Sarah smiled as she said the next part. "Now for the other characters- Sir Didymus, the fox knight, Hoggle- the dwarf, and Ludo- a great stone speaker."

The next fifteen minutes were a trip into a land unknown by Jason. Sarah spun him a wonderfully light and colorful story of the three helping the King get over his sweet-toothies. That horrible curse caused him to have the largest sugar craving until he was given a lollie from a kingdom far away. Of course, the three were the heroes that helped the king. Then once the story was over, Sarah proclaimed that the lollie he had eaten had been from the King's personal private stash of the magic lollies.

By the end of the story, his mom had finally picked him up. Sarah explained he had some mild flu and to keep him out of school for a week or two. They had caught the sickness early.

Closing her eyes after they left, Sarah was pleasantly surprised to hear her beeper go off, telling her that her shift was over. After waiting a few moments, Sarah punched out and went to her care. However, when she got there, she just sat in the seat for a while. "I wish…" she looked up at the Hospital. "I wish I had someone to take care of that really needed me." The words were spoken and then forgotten. She didn't even realize she had wished…

Reaching her apartment, Sarah started to trudge up the three flights of stairs to her room, and unlocked the door. Usually there would be a gaggle of goblins sitting on her floor watching TV, playing with kitchen appliances, or eating her furniture. Therefore, when Sarah opened the door to find it eerily quiet with not a goblin in sight; she was…scared.

Sarah called the names of a few of the goblins, "Bing, Jip, Rudy, are you guys there?" She slipped in and locked the door back again. Looking around there was nothing out of place. Her TV was immaculate; the two large wall-to-ceiling book shelves around the television were fine. Nothing was wrong in the kitchen…but there was one thing different. Her bedroom door was slightly ajar.

Slowly, and quietly Sarah opened the door, and was met with an odd sight. All around her bed Ludo, Hoggle, Didymus, and several others stood concealing whatever was on the bed.

Hearing her come in, Hoggle walked over and took her hand. "Sarah… we needs your help."

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately and looked over at the bed.

"Jareth's got 'imself-" At the mention of Jareth's name, Sarah rushed over. What she saw shocked her greatly. In front of her on her own bed, dressed in a blood stained white poet's shirt and tight black breeches lay the Goblin King in all his glory.

**A/N- Hey, Hope you guys like it. :3 I think it flows a lot better now, but let me guys know **** okay?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- HEYYYYYY CHAPTA TWOOOO! :D I hope you all are liking this one. I honestly like it better, just because I think it's well written…at least compared my freshman self anyway. It probably still needs some sanding around the edges, but I'm doing my best :3 **

**ANY WHO- On With The Story! There's some serious World Suck going on here, but it can't be helped :P **

Immediately Sarah noticed that there were several lacerations to his torso. They looked bad, but she knew the real problems were the large cut running from his mid-thigh to mid-calf on his outer left leg. Letting her eyes wonder to his face, she noticed there were a few gashes on his face as well, but they looked mainly superficial as well… excluding the one above his right brow. The way it was cut made the woman instantly aware of a possible concussion.

Moving automatically Sarah stepped forward towards the bed. She peeled back the shirt and closed her eyes for a long moment. She would need to clear everyone out _fast. _ "I need everyone out."

Each and every one of the creatures in the room started to protest. However, Sarah gave them a stern look. "If you want me to help him, I need you guys out. I can't risk any possible _further _infection, and any external stress could harm him additional…. _Please." _Many of the goblins grumbled but disappeared after this along with many of the other creatures. Now only Bing the goblin, Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo remained.

Smiling, Sarah gave Ludo a hug, "I'll take care of him Ludo, I promise."

"Sawah- Help… King." She nodded at his slow lumbering words and the beast smiled at her. "O-kay." then he disappeared.

Didymus was quickly persuaded that his "Fair Lady" could handle the situation and left to look after his brother Ludo, but Hoggle and Bing didn't budge. Sighing Sarah tried to make a deal, "Listen guys, he needs my help right now, the longer I leave him to bleed the worse. Just… wait outside for now and I'll let you in once I'm done…"

For a moment, Hoggle stared at her then at the king in the bed. After a few seconds, the gardening dwarf drug the crying Bing out of the room. "We'll be back to check on the Rat."

Sarah nodded, "I know."

As soon as the door was shut, the nurse rushed over to the bed. "Jareth?" There was no answer. He seemed to be completely out.

Frowning heavily he took out a small flashlight doctors use to check pupils from a side drawer and slowly pulled back his right eyelid. If he had a concussion, she needed him awake. Who knows how long he had been out… Moving the light back and forth across his eye, she sighed in relief that his pupil reacted. Then she pulled back the other lid and checked it… There was no response.

Her brow wrinkled in worry. One eye was fine… the other looked like it was permanently dilated. She remembered something about his eyes in the labyrinth, but she couldn't remember. "I hope that was it…"

Knowing she couldn't waste any more time, Sarah quickly rushed to the kitchen to grab some supplies. Hoggle and Bing had given her hopeful glances, but she ignored them. Instead, she made a beeline for the kitchen where she got some hot water in a bowl, all of her dish rags, a trash bag, and although she wanted some gloves- she didn't have anymore.

With her equipment juggled in her arms, Sarah entered her room again, and shut the door with her foot. Marching over to the bed, she set her things down on the side table and opened up the trash bag. First thing she needed to do was get these horridly torn and bloody clothes off him to see the real damage.

The first thing she pulled off were his boots and stockings-Plop- into the bag. Trying not to notice how long and perfect his feet were, Sarah continued. Next she slowly pulled off his shirt… or at least what was left of it. His chest was littered with tiny scratches. But the main worry Sarah had was the glass. There was glass _everywhere._ Quickly she pulled out some of the shallow ones and threw the shirt and glass into the bag as well. Then, knowing it would be impossible to wrestle him out of his pants, Sarah grabbed a pair of scissors in her drawer and started to cut the Goblin King out of his pants. Blushing slightly, the nurse berated herself _Sarah! Stop it. He is a patient and nothing more…_

Once the top layer was stuffed in the trash, she started to ease the second half out from under the prone King. It didn't take as long as she thought, but it was still a little difficult. Sarah thought about removing his talisman… but it just didn't seem right. So she merely finished removing his gloves and sat them to the side to be washed. The rest of the clothes were ruined, but he always wore gloves… and it seemed to be wrong without them as well.

Now with him undressed, she started to cleanse the wounds. She started with the largest. Carefully she cleaned it out and continued up. Sarah made sure to pick out every last bit of glass and wipe every last speck of blood from his body she could. Then she rushed to her cabinet to grab her emergency gauze and first aid supplies. Honestly not knowing how he would react to antiseptics, she forwent them and merely started wrapping him up. The leg took the most bandaging, and even then she knew he would bleed through it. His torso was easier to simply wrap them as well. He had several nasty bruises on his chest, naturally there were about three broken ribs or fractured ribs to accompany them. As for his face, he only needed one gauze square applied to the cut above his eye.

Once she was finished, she lifted him forward and let his body lean against her as she pulled off the bloodied top sheet to her bed. On the inside she relished his body close to hers, but she did not acknowledge the fact. Once he was laying on the clean bottom sheet, Sarah noticed how clammy he was. Nervously she checked his temperature… If his anatomy was anything like a humans, he was burning up!

Sarah quickly rushed to her spare closet and pulled out a deep blue comforter and another black sheet. Blushing slightly and a little embarrassed she had nothing better for a King, Sarah draped what she had over the monarch. After a long moment, she suddenly rushed out the door of her room to the little guest room next door. A few seconds later, she came back holding a black silk robe. It was meant to be a father's day gift to her dad. She figured her father wouldn't mind too awfully much if a King borrowed it…

Blushing slightly she pulled the king up to rest in the nook of her neck as she placed each arm through the sleeves. Once the pillows were fluffed and the covers were pulled up to his armpits she sighed in relief. Methodically, Sarah had washed the brown leather gloves- making sure to remove every drop of blood. Normally, the washing would have ruined such delicate leather, but they seemed fine. _Must be the magic_, Sarah thought.

Replacing them on his hands, the woman marveled at his hands. She carefully picked up each one and couldn't resist stroking each one softly before putting on the glove. The woman could have sworn she felt something as she touched his naked hands, but paid no mind. It was probably nothing.

After each hand was dressed, Sarah put both arms under the covers and pulled the blanket up to Jareth's chin. Slowly she checked his forehead again. He had a fever that was for sure, yet it seemed less now-but still worrisome. She moved to the kitchen again, still ignoring the two in the living room and grabbed some ice and put it in a bowl along with some cold water.

As soon as she was back, she made a cool-compress and put it on his head. The ice would keep the water colder long when she needed to re-cool the compress. With all that out of the way… Sarah couldn't help herself when she brought the hot water bowl back out and started to clean his hair. She gently took a rag and cleaned each strand… It was just the right thing to do. He obviously cared a great deal for his _mane_. Finished, Sarah just looked at his face softly.

With her hands so close to his face, the poor woman couldn't help herself when she slid a gentle caressing hand over his cheek. However, she pulled back abruptly when Jareth's eyes started to flutter. She waited for him to wake, and demand to know where he was. Then yell at her for being so close, but it never came. He didn't wake; he just let out an unconscious sigh of loss.

Sarah sat down in a chair close to the bed, before pulling it closer. She sat there for ten minutes just watching him before there was a knock at the door. "Uh, Sarah, is he alright?" It was Hoggle's gruff voice that had followed after the knock, and Sarah answered.

She sighed as she realized most of the creatures that had previously disappeared had returned. Stepping out into the room she warned them all to be as quite as possible. Then after threatening to bathe any goblin with soap if he disturbed the king, she let them in.

"Okay guys," she spoke in a whisper once they were all gathered in her small bedroom, "I guess you should know that he can't be moved. If we move him now, he could possibly go into shock, and die on the way there.

"You should also know that he has a fever, several broken ribs, not to mention the deep cuts. I'll keep him here for now, and when he's well again I'll let him go home. However, I will not allow him to move from that bed until I say differently."

All of the creatures looked sad as they peered at their unhealthy king. After fifteen minutes or so Sarah lead them out into the living room again. "Guys… I know you care for him. But you all should go back to you friends and family…OH, I don't think it's wise if we tell people the Goblin King is sick or hurt." All of the creatures seemed to agree. "Good, then Hoggle- you're in charge until the King gets back."

At first the dwarf looked like he was about to protest. "No, you must Hoggle. I know you can run the labyrinth. Just don't let anything get out of control until I can get him well enough to go home…" All of the beings nodded. "Good… now off you go."

Every creature nodded, and one by one the Labyrinthines left for home. Within moments the room was cleared of all creatures, save for Bing, the goblin.

"Bing, I think you should go back home, your family must miss you." Sarah squatted down to hug the goblin.

"Lady Sarah, if Bing quiet, can Bing see king?" Sarah looked at the small goblin, and couldn't tell the cute little goblin's face no.

Sarah let out a sigh, and lifted the goblin up. "Bing, if you don't say a single word, then I'll let you go in. Do you understand?" The little goblin nodded seriously. Sarah let out a huff. "Okay."

Sarah went into her room, glad that Jareth was still sleeping soundly. She sat down in her chair, and let the little goblin hold his king's hand. After a few moments, she heard the little goblin sniff. "Shhh, he'll be okay Bing. I'll take care of him, plus I've saved up enough off time to be with him a good week."

The little goblin rubbed his eyes. "Thank you Lady Sarah… Bing gotta to go home now?" The woman patted his head, and told him yes. He nodded then faded away slowly.

Sarah moved her chair closer, and took one of his hands. With her other hand she smoothed away his crazy hair, and said to him, "You don't know how much your loved." Slowly she picked up his arm and started to maneuver it back under the blankets. However, before she set it down, she kissed his lower knuckles softly.

"Sra…"

Sarah pulled her lips away quickly. "Jareth, are you awake?" she gripped his hand tighter, and nearly cried out when he squeezed weakly in return.

"Sarah…" Jareth opened his eyes half way, and looked as if he was in a dream when he saw her face.

She felt tears at her eyes, and held his hand to her mouth kissing it again. "What happened to you Jareth? You were hurt so badly. All the glass…" she took a calming breath, remembering she had to keep her cool.

"I-" he was cut off by a surge of dry forceful coughs.

"Sh-Sh-Shhh. It's okay, don't talk." Grabbing a glass of water from the side table she brought it to his lips and supported his head with her other hand. After several moments the coughs finally stopped and the King managed to get half the glass down.

Jareth was so weak; he could barely hold his eyes open. "Hey-" She said softly making sure he was focusing on her, "Jareth, before you sleep, I need to know if I can give you antibiotics. If not I need to know what to give you."

To his credit, the King tried his hardest to keep his eyes open. His magic was just so depleted. "No. They'll kill me." He took a moment to rest before continuing with his eyes drooping heavily. "So Weak… hardly any magic… In time… I'll heal…" With that Jareth succumbed to sleep.

**A/N- This one I used a few more direct quotes from my previous story. This one also follows basically the same pattern. :) ENJOY and PLS REvIEw! ;3**


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